The Euro Cup and Racism

The European soccer championship, Euro 2012, is being hosted by Poland and Ukraine, starting today. Ukraine, especially, hoped to make it a showcase 26 years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. But concerns about racism are keeping the families of black players from even attending. Club soccer at the top level in Europe is increasingly inclusive, with players from different nations, ethnicities and racial groups joining the best teams. UEFA, the Union of European Football Associations, is accused of ignoring the issue. Barry Glendenning, Deputy Sports Editor for Britain's Guardian newspaper, is live-blogging today's opening games in Warsaw.